Massaging device



Dec. 13, 1960 l.. c. JOHNSTON 2,964,037

MASSAGING DEVICE Filed May 14, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 /nventor LVMAN c. JOHNSTON Patent Agent Dec. 13, 1960 l.. c. .JOHNSTON MAssAGING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 14, 1957 Inventor LYMAN C. JOHNSTON bfv.' g@ t Patent Agent iiited States This invention relates to a massaging device having self-balancing mechanism.

Vibrating machines presently in use generally produce a vibrating motion to a single surface by means of shaking the entire machine through an eccentric driving motion. The operator is required to force the machine to the body of the patient, and as a result receives an amount of vibration equal to that received by the patient. Vibrators presently available are adapted to produce the required motion to only one portion of the body at a time.

The human body comprises several pairs of compo` nents, for example, legs, shoulders, portions of the back on either side of the backbone, etc. To derive the maximum benefit from vibration, the pairs of components are required to be manipulated together in order to induce relaxation on both sides of the body. The required depth of penetration of vibrations is directly proportional to the size of the person. The vibrators at present in existence depend only upon the external force applied to the machine or the distance it is held from the body to govern the depth of penetration or amplitude of vibration imparted to the body.

The hands of a masseur or of a practising chiropractor must necessarily be sensitive to tension in the muscles or tendons of a patient. The machines at present in use transmit an equal vibration to the hands of the operator, which tends to numb the nerves in the hands, producing the harmful result of deadening the sensitivity therein, and which tends to restrict the use of existing machines.

Many machines of this class, including most massage machines, employ a rigid connection from the driving means to the vibrating surface, which upon application to the body imparts a hammering etlect thereon, providing little or no resilience for reducing this effect. In addition, the amplitude of vibration of existing machines is relatively short as compared to the depth of penetration normally required. It is well known in the art that certain neuro-muscular tensions are developed in the human body, and hand-manipulation by a masseur is a widely-accepted means of partially relieving the stress or tension so developed. The inexible hammering motion delivered by most machines on the market cannot attain the result obtained through manipulation by an experienced masseur.

The strength or amplitude of vibration which may be applied to a patient varies directly with the size and age of the patient, a lesser vibration being permissible for a child of tender years, or a person of small stature. Machines presently known in the art do not produce a variable amplitude of vibration, and effective vibration can only be changed by varying the frequency, or by varying the force of application of the machine to the body.

It is a main object of the invention to provide a vibrating machine having body manipulating members.

It is another object of the invention to provide a vibrating motion at a plurality of surfaces. with la mini- 'ice mum transmission of vibration to the hands of an operator.

1t is another object of the invention to provide vibrating members which are capable of being adjustably spaced apart with relation to each other, to conform to the size of the person, or the portions of the body to be massaged.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a flexibly pivoted member adapted to impart a vibrating motion to a plurality of surfaces, while providing a partial resilience througli the flexible pivot.

It is a further object of the invention to provide adjustable positioning of the massaging members on a rocking plate to adjust the amplitude of vibration of tiie members to suit the requirements of the patient.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a selfcontained vibrating machine which does not require an external application of force to apply the vibratory motion thereof.

With these and other objects in view, the invention generally comprises a rocking member, a driving means, a pivot, a drive-connecting member, a structure supporting said pivot and adjustable massage elements.

Otner objects of the invention will be appreciated by a study of the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

1n the drawings:

Figure 1 is a sectional view ofthe machine in elevation outlining the motor driving means in broken line;

li'igure 2 is a view on the line 2 2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is an end view to an enlarged scale of the eccentric driving means indicating in broken lines rela'- tive positions tuereof during operation;

Figure 4 is a view, to a reduced scale, in perspective of the massage machine.

Rererring to rigore l, the invention comprises an outer casing it) tormed ot' a metal casting or of sheet metal or other suitable material, having sides 11, delining an opening 12. An electric motor, not shown in detail, and generally designated by the reference numeral 13 provides a protruding shaft 14 and a handle portion 15 extending through an opening 16 in the outer casing, and separated tneretrom by a rubber gasket 16a. The motor assembly shown is a common electric hand drill which is convenient for this purpose, producing approximately D revolutions per minute. However, a motor of more conventional type may be used, resiliently mounted to the casing by any well-known means. A hollow flexible handle 17 formed of rubber or like resilient material, engages the handle portion 15 of the motor through a coupling 18, adapted to receive an electric cord 19 therethrough. If a more conventional motor is used without a handle portion, an upright member may be attached to the casing to form a handle support therefor. The end of the handle remote from coupling 18 engages, through bar 20, an upright portion or handle support 21 secured to the outer casing through a resilient gasket 22, by metal screws 23, bar 20 being welded or otherwise rmly attached to upright portion 21. A relatively thick section 24 of casing 10 is adapted to receive a rigid motor-supporting stud 25 extending from the motor 13, through a resilient gasket 26.

Casing 10 supports a pivot plate 27 by means of metal screws 28 (see Figure 4) threadable in a reinforced section ofthe sidesof pivot plate 27, in a position generally designated by the reference numeral 29. The pivot plate is formed from a casting of rigid material such as aluminum or magnesium, but may be composed of any other suitable material. Resilient pads 30 on a surface of pivot plate 27 are so located to separate the body of the electric motor from the pivot plate. Two lugs 31 projecting upwardly from the main body of the pivot plate and laterally spaced apart thereon, are adapted to receive bolts 32 therethrough to hold in co-operation with threaded nuts 33, a fiexible pivot supporting member 34, preferably of strong, rubber-impregnated fabric sheetV material; A rocking plate 35 of metallic or other suitable construce tion, having an inner surface 36 and a'smooth outer surface 37 supports on its inner surface an inwardly extending lug 38 forming a pivot or fulcrum therefor and extending transversely of said inner surface. The lug 38 is adapted to threadably receive a bolt or screw 39 passed through the` pivot supporting member 34 to flexibly connect the rocking plate 35 Vto the rigidly supported pivot plate 27. The lug 38 provides a substantially fiat surface at its outer extremity to co-operate with the upper surface of the fabric member;

Shaft 14 is adapted to engage a disc 40 of relatively heavy metal such as brass or other suitable material. A bearing assembly generally indicated by reference numeral 41, rigidly attached Ato disc 40 through stud 42 and spaced therefrom by spacer 43 presents a surface 44 freely rotatable about ball bearings 45 and the relatively stationary body 46.

A clamping member 47, more particularly shown in Figure 3, having an inner surface is adapted to engage surface 44 of the bearing assembly 41 and is tightened thereto by means of threaded lip portions 48 and threaded bolt 49. The bearing body is held in relatively rigid assembly with disc 40 by means of nut 50 threaded to receive stud 42. Clamping member 47 represents an extending portion 51, as shown in Figures 1 and 3 in substantially vertical alignment with asimilar extending portion 52l projecting fromV cross-member 53 rigidly attached to rocking plate 35. The cross-member 53 is spaced from the inner surface of the rocking plate by spacingV members 54 and fastened thereto by means of screws 54a, as shown ,in Figure 2.

A fiexible coupling 55 is attached to extending portions 51 and 52 and held rigidly thereto by, spring clips 56. Two slots 57 formed in rocking plate 35 each terminate in enlarged portions 58. A track member 59 containing racl teeth 60, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, is aligned longitudinally on theV inner surface of the rocking plate along a defining edge of each slot. The massage members or elements 61, preferably made of sponge rubber or other material suitable for body contact, are generally spherical in shape, partially cut away to provide a substantially flat surface. A circular backing plate 62 of metal or other suitable rigid material is glued or otherwise suitably fastened or cemented to the fiat surface of the massage member. A exible gripping member 63 glued or otherwise suitably fastened to, the exposed face of plate 62, presents a gripping face for contact with the outer surface of the rocking plate.

A shaft member 64 having a cap 65 of larger diameter is inserted through a hole 66 in the sponge rubber portion of the massage member and through holes of relatively smaller` diameter in backing plate 62 and gripping member 63. A spring member 67 of spring steel or other suitable material surrounds shaft 64, the spring having ends bearing respectively against backing plate 62 and a washer 68. The free end of shaft 64 rigidly engages a gear 69 having teeth adapted to co-operate with the rack teeth, the diameter of the gear being less than the diameter of enlarged opening 58 and greater than the Width of the slot 57.

A trigger 70 incorporated in the handle portion of the electric motor and includes a locking means (not shown) by which the trigger remains compressed, per mitting constant operation of the machine if desired.

On applicationof the machine to a prone patient, its own weight is sufficient to provide bearing force, while the machine is sufficiently light in Weight to permit application to a patient in any position.

In operation, an electric motor 13 enclosed by outer casing 10 provides a driving force through shaft 14 to the rotatable disc 40. The eccentric mounting of bearing 41 on the disc provides in addition to a rotary motion of the bearing, a corresponding orbital motion to clamping member 47 as indicated by Figure 3. Clamping member 47 in being rigidly clamped to the separately rotatable surface 44 of the bearing, though following the eccentric mounting on the disc does not rotate therewith, and thus generates a path as shown in Figure 3. The flexible coupling 55 is designed to absorb force applied thereto in a lateral or horizontal direction and is adapted to transmit force components in a vertical direction. The components of force produced by the eccentric rotation in the horizontal direction, represented by arrow A in Figure 3 are thereby absorbed in the fiexible coupling and produce bending therein. The components of force produced by the eccentric rotation in the Vertical direction, represented by arrow B are transmitted through the coupling 55 to the extending portion 52 of the rocking plate to impart a rockingmotion thereto. Coupling 55 may be formed from a hollow rubber tube reinforced by fabric to present a high resistance to either compression or longitudinal stretching, and a slight resistance to bending.

Shaft 14 may be engaged at the centre of disc 40 to provide the rotary motion thereto. However, it is preferred to substantially align shaft 14 with stud 42 to present a rotating mass of disc 40, partly indicated by the reference numeral 40a, Figure 3, to provide a counter-balancing action to the rotating bearing body 41. In this manner vibration due to the eccentric rotation of the bearing body is substantially reduced.

The reciprocating motion of the extending portion 52 of member 53, transmitted thereto through the fiexible coupling, imparts to the rocking plate 27 a rocking motion about the pivot means or fulcrum therefor provided by lug 38, as indicated by the broken lines of Figure 1. The flexible, shock-absorbing fabric material 34 forms a resilient bearing surface for the fixed pivot means prof duced by lug 38. During the rocking motion imparted to the plate 35 by the eccentric driving means, the fiexible sheet 34 is adapted to conform to the relative movement of the pivot means while substantially absorbing virbration caused by the rocking motion transmitted through the pivot means of the rocking plate. A main object of the invention is thereby accomplished by decreasing the amount of vibration transmitted to the outer structure of the machine. The flexible pivot supporting surface also tends to diminish the hammering effect of the massage elements on contact with the body by virtue of its shock-absorbing property. Massage member 61 is firmly and adjustably attached to the outer surface of rocking fplate 35 by means of gear 69 in co-operation with rack teeth 60. To attach the massage member to the rocking plate, spring 67 is compressed by the application of force to cap 65, thus extending shaft 64 through the backing plate 62 and the gripping member 63 to extend gear 69 from the gripping member to a distance greater than the thickness of the rocking plate. Thus gear 69 may be inserted through the enlarged opening 58 and the massaging member may be turned to mesh the gear teeth with 'rack teeth 60. On allowing the spring 67 to return to a relatively unbiased position, a bearing force is applied between the face of the gear 69 and the inner surface 36 of plate 35, on both sides of the slot 57 to engage the gripping surface of member 63 with the outer surface 37 of plate 35. In this manner, massage member 61 is held in a relatively fixed position on the rocking plate, while the position may be changed by merely turning the massage member for optimum positioning thereof with respect to the fulcrum or pivot means 38;

Vibrations transmitted to the motor casing are partially absorbed through resilient mountings 30, gaskets 16a, 22, 26, and the fiexible handle 15. Flexible sheet 34 substantially prevents vibration which would ordinarily -be transmittedr through the rocking Vplate tothe outer casing. In addition, the vibration normally set up by a body such as the bearing 41 in its circular orbit may be partly compensated for by the counter-balance mass 40a of disc 40.

The machine provides a double-acting self-balancing massage operation, in which a maximum amount of vibration energy is transmitted to the massage surfaces. A minimum of Waste vibration energy is transmitted to the operator effecting comfortable operation and contributing a longer life to the working parts of the machine.

The adjusting means provides a method of varying the effective vibration of the massaging members Without the necessity of expensive speed or depth-controlling apparatus. The adjustable positioning of the massage members relative to the pivot or fulcrum of the rocking plate provides a simple means of controlling the magnitude of the vibrating or reciprocal motion of the massage members.

The method of transmitting reciprocal motion to the rocking plate through a flexible coupling effectively eliminates transverse motion of the rocking plate which would ordinarily occur due to the horizontal components of force developed during the orbital motion of the clamping member. Thus the Width dimension of the rocking plate may be designed only slightly less than the width of the opening of the casing to provide a machine of relatively light weight and of maximum massaging power. In addition, such a driving means provides a relatively quiet operation of the machine due to the absence of impacting surfaces, the only contacting surfaces being the inner and outer members of the bearing 41.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. A massage machine for manipulating body tissue and comprising in combination: a rigid structure adapted to be gripped by an operator; drive means on said structure; a rocking member having ends thereon; elastomer means pivotally suspending said rocking member on said structure for rocking motion thereon; reciprocating means actuable by said drive means pivotally attached to one of said ends for imparting a rocking motion of said rocking member; and massage elements on Said member located about the pivotally suspending elastomer means therefor, one of said elements being positioned thereon to move in a direction opposite to the direction of motion of another of said elements during rocking motion of said member.

2. A massage machine for manipulating body tissue and comprising in combination: a rigid structure including an operating handle adapted to be gripped by an operator; drive means on said structure; a rocking member having ends thereon; flexible means pivotally suspending said rocking member on said structure for rocking motion thereon; reciprocating means pivotally attached to one of said ends actuable by said drive means for imparting a reciprocating motion to one end of said rocking member; and massage elements on said member located about the pivotally suspending flexible means therefor, one of which elements is positioned thereon to move in a direction opposite the direction of motion of another of said elements upon rocking of said member.

3. A massage machine for manipulating body tissue and comprising in combination: a rigid structure adapted to be gripped by an operator; drive means on said structure; a rocking member having ends thereon; ilexible means pivotally and exibly suspending said rocking member on said structure for rocking motion thereon; reciprocating means pivotally attached to one of said ends actuable by said drive means for imparting a rocking motion of said member; massage elements on said member adjustably located about the pivotally suspending flexible means therefor, one of which is positioned thereon to move with said member in a direction opposite the direction of motion of another of said elements upon rocking of said member to provide a substantially reciprocating motion to said members of variable magnitude; and means for adjustably positioning said massage elements on said rocking member relative to said flexible means.

4. A massage machine for manipulating body tissue and comprising in combination: a rigid structure including an operating handle adapted to be gripped by an operator; eccentric drive means on said structure, said means producing an orbital motion; a rocking member having ends thereon; means pivotally suspending said rocking member on said structure for rocking motion thereon; coupling means attached to one of said ends actuable by said drive means for converting the orbital motion produced thereby to a substantially reciprocal motion to one end of said ends providing a rocking motion of said rocking member about said suspending means; and massage elements on said member adjustably located about the pivotally suspending means therefor, one of which elements is positioned thereon to move with said member in a direction opposite the direction of motion of another of said elements upon rocking of said member to provide a substantially reciprocating motion of said elements of a variable amplitude.

Richmond May 28, 1907 Miller Feb. 9, 1909 

